Rhea Varghese puts down a list of gadgets that with tech advancement have evolved and outlived their original purpose
The evolution of products through time is quite similar to the evolution of mankind. Thanks to the steady growth in technology, products that were introduced to serve consumers with a fixed purpose are now evolving to meet other needs. From cell phones to the television, the traditional tech trend now is to provide more power in smaller packages.
Robot, do the vacuuming
The first commercial, bag-on-a-stick vacuum cleaner was introduced in 1907. Made out of an old fan motor, a soap box, a broom handle and a pillowcase, this portable electric vacuum cleaner was eventually used in nearly every household.
100 years later, what has changed is that they are now robotic, smaller in size and can be commanded from anywhere with a home app. Introducing to you self-vacuuming gadgets iRobot Roomba, the Dyson DC06 and Mint.
Tick Tock
From pocket watches to wrist watches to water-resistant wrist watches, this 'time tracking' machine has come a long way. Today, with growing communication mediums like WiFi and Bluetooth, smartwatches have now been modified to deliver live data and notifications straight to the user's wrist. Synced with the phone, it can even read texts and receive calls.
Don't just walk!
What started out as a simple act to protect one's feet has now grown to serve more. With the advancement of technology, we now have the Vacuum Shoe that pulls up dirt from the floor, GPS-enabled shoes to guide you home with a click of your heels, shoes that track the number of steps walked and slippers that help you walk in the dark.
The idiot box
The humble television (TV)with static, today has been transformed into a smart gadget with a screen size as big as 85 inches. With high-definition technology, satellite streaming, complete internet access on the TV and the ability to record any number of programmes, the viewing experience has changed.
Call and more
The first generation of cell phones did nothing except make calls. In the 1980s Motorola released DynaTAC, the world's first commercial mobile phone. It weighed 1.75 lb, took 10 hours to charge and allowed a total 30 minutes of talk-time. And then years later, the cell phone evolved to a gadget that provides anything and everything under the sun with the help of sophisticated operating systems.
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